The best of all rulers is but a shadowy presence to his subjects.

The Revolution is made by man, but man must forge his revolutionary spirit from day to day.

Natural rights is simple nonsense: natural and imprescriptible rights, rhetorical nonsense—nonsense upon stilts.

Politics is the art of preventing people from taking part in affairs which properly concern them.

The U.S. presidency is a Tudor monarchy plus telephones.

In politics, what begins in fear usually ends in folly.

The spirit of liberty is the spirit which is not too sure it is right.

The first requirement of a statesman is that he be dull.

If you must take care that your opinions do not differ in the least from those of the person with whom you are talking, you might just as well be alone.

There is nothing more tyrannical than a strong popular feeling among a democratic people.

A government which robs Peter to pay Paul can always count on the support of Paul.

An appeal to the reason of the people has never been known to fail in the long run.

The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is its natural manure.